The process of teething involves baby teeth breaking through a child's gums. This can cause red cheeks, fever, swelling, drooling, irritability, sleeplessness and a decrease in appetite. The best way to help your child is to treat his symptoms while teething.
Blood Flow
Red cheeks can be the cause of the body's inflammatory response to teething. This includes an increase in blood flow and heat to the affected area. This can manifest itself as red, flushed cheeks, specifically around the area that the tooth is emerging.
Rash
Red cheeks might be a result of a rash caused by teething. One major symptom of teething is an increase in your baby's production of saliva. This results in some serious drooling, exposing the facial skin to saliva. This might look like a raised and red rash on the cheeks or chin. Try keeping the area dry, wash it to minimize exposure to saliva and apply a gentle lanolin ointment.
Fever
A low-grade fever often accompanies an emerging tooth. A fever can cause red cheeks and flushing of the face. If a fever is the cause of teething, it should not exceed 101 degrees Fahrenheit. If the fever becomes higher or lasts more than three days, contact your doctor.
Relief
You can't eliminate the pain and irritation of teething, but you can minimize it. Offer your child a cold, damp washcloth to chew on to reduce swelling and redness. Rubbing ice or giving your child something frozen can also help reduce pain and redness. Speak with your doctor about the use of pain relieving medication or a topical pain relieving ointment which can also help with redness.
References
- WhatToExpect.com; Teething Symptoms; Heidi Murkoff
- Baby Care Advice: Teething
- "Anatomy and Physiology"; Kenneth S. Saladin; 2004
- AskDrSears.com; Teething; Dr. Sears, et al.
